slideshow software alternative to iPhoto

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Level 1

68 points

slideshow software alternative to iPhoto

I create slideshows for weddings & other events on a periodic basis. When I do this in Final Cut, I have absolute control over every slide in terms of transitions, movements, and time onscreen, but it's very time intensive and most people don't want to pay for the time involved.

When I create slideshows in iPhoto, it's a simple and straightforward approach that's less expensive, but I don't have any control over individual photos that I might want to do something different with. It's a one-way only setup.

I'm looking for a "middle of the road" software program that has templates for slideshow creation that I can just plug the pics into, but still allows for some control with each photo (transitions, time onscreen, and even movement of the photo if possible.

Does anyone have a good recommendation for Mac?

Thanks!!

iMac 7.1 Intel Core 2 Duo, Mac OS X (10.5.8), 4 gb ram, 2.4 ghz, FCP 6.0.6, iLife 09, Leopard, iPhone 3G

Posted on Jun 24, 2010 3:10 PM

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Answer 1

Klaus1

Level 9

52,879 points

Jun 24, 2010 3:40 PM in response to macman

There are many ways to produce slide shows using iPhoto, iMovie or iDVD and some limit the number of photos you can use (iDVD has a 99 chapter (slide) limitation).

If what you want is what I want, namely to be able to use high resolution photos (even 300 dpi tiff files), to pan and zoom individual photos, use a variety of transitions, to add and edit music or commentary, place text exactly where you want it, and to end up with a DVD that looks good on both your Mac and a TV - in other words end up with and end result that does not look like an old fashioned slide show from a projector - you may be interested in how I do it. You don't have to do it my way, but the following may be food for thought!

Firstly you need proper software to assemble the photos, decide on the duration of each, the transitions you want to use, and how to pan and zoom individual photos where required, and add proper titles. For this I use Photo to Movie. You can read about what it can do on their website:

http://www.lqgraphics.com/software/phototomovie.php

(Other users here use the alternative FotoMagico: http://www.boinx.com/fotomagico/homevspro/ which you may prefer - I have no experience with it.)

Neither of these are freeware, but are worth the investment if you are going to do a lot of slide shows. Read about them in detail, then decide which one you feel is best suited to your needs.

Once you have timed and arranged and manipulated the photos to your liking in Photo to Movie, it exports the file to iMovie 6 as a DV stream. You can add music in Photo to Movie, but I prefer doing this in iMovie where it is easier to edit. You can now further edit the slide show in iMovie just as you would a movie, then send it to iDVD 7, or Toast, for burning.

You will be pleasantly surprised at how professional the results can be!

To simply create a slide show in iDVD 8 from images in iPhoto or stored in other places on your hard disk or a connected server, look here:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1089

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Answer 2

Jul 25, 2010 8:02 AM in response to macman

don't know if this topic is still open or not, but ... to go with your 'simple' iPhoto method (which is what i do) ... it IS possible to adjust a single photo individually within your slideshow. When you are looking at a specific photo in your slideshow ... at the bottom of the photo, see a box next to "Ken Burns Effect" ... if you check that box, you can individually control which way the photo moves and how it zooms in and out by using the "Start" and "End" button under "Ken Burns Effect"; and then use the 'zoom control' in the lower right corner. you can also click on the "Adjust" button (next to the Ken Burns Effect button) and you can change the length of time that individual photo will stay on the screen. it's not a lot of control, but it has helped me when the 'automatic' setting cuts off something i want the viewer to see.

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